Tiger Tamers 1964 Hillman Minx Project

[Tiger Tamer]

Well, I spent hours trying to get that O ring that came out with that fitting to go back in to it's seat. So I took the fitting and seal into the local hydraulic place in town and he looked at it and said that seal is a bit big isn't it. I agreed but said it was the one that came out. Anyway, he gave me a little smaller seal but with a smaller profile and it fitted without any problem. I filled it up with water and it seals. I just hope it still does once the cooling system has pressure in it. 

I also have all the rear brake parts now. Re-sleaved cylinders, new shoes and the drums machined.  Hopefully I will end up with some brakes tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong.

[Tiger Tamer]

What possibly could go wrong did go wrong. The MC needs new seals. I thought it might and should have had it done earlier.

Anyway I found a reasonable replacement rear rubber spring seat as one of the ones I had was a bit nackerd.  I fitted that and now the car sits level. So I lowered it down and dragged it out for a wash and to see how it sits. The ground outside is not level  but it’s the best I can do for now.

 

[Tiger Tamer]

The new front springs turned up today. I had cut 50mm off the original springs and welded the flat bit back on top of the coil so it sat in the perch reasonably well.  I wasn’t going to increase the spring rate so all I had to do is give them the compressed height of the spring. 
Anyway I will fit them tomorrow and see how the car sits.

[Tiger Tamer]

Well, I lied. I didn't fit the springs the next day. The old rubber spring insulators were trash, so I ordered some new ones from the Sunbeam car club spares dept.

I had bought some Mustang 2 QA1 coil overs to fit as someone I know fitted them to his Sunbeam Tiger (same front X member). Not sure how he achieved it as it was going to take some work for them to work. So I have used the shocks anyway. They would normally need extensions on them to increase their length but because I have lowered the front, they are ok. Now I have adjustable front shocks as well, which I have set at halfway for now.

I will see how I go with the photos. For some reason unknown to me now when I download photos from my phone instead of being downloaded directly to pictures on my laptop they now go through dropbox which is being a proper PITA. Directly from my ph they are large and I can only attach one.  Only one of the pics I took downloaded through dropbox which I could resize.

[Tiger Tamer]

Springs shocks fitted and the cars weight put back on wheels and it is sitting where it should. So all is good and thanks to Cobra springs for the advice and the new springs. 
Happy Chappy.

[Tiger Tamer]

[Tiger Tamer]

I have started flaring the rear guards which is a new skill I need to improve. And when I do, I will post some pic's.  I have had to finish the boat project and also redo the bathroom. I also need to repair the trailer for a WOF so once all is done it will be back to the Minx.

[Tiger Tamer]

I started to do some more on the flared guards this afternoon. Too bloody hot to work on the trailer outside.

I had noticed some lead in the wheel arch around the door but there ended up a lot more than I thought. I melted it out. Probably not best to wear Jandel's while doing so, but. 

Once the lead was removed it was obvious the car has had a shunt around there and the repair under the lead was pretty average, so I decided to remove and make up a new piece which needed to fit with the flare. The door only needs a false piece added to complete the shape. I will have to figure out something for that as I don't think I have the skills to get it close in metal.

[Tiger Tamer]

So back to flaring the rear guards. I flared it to (close'ish ) to the original shape of the arch. They are nowhere near symmetrical and once flared it looks crap really. So I marked the shape of the rear half of the arch and then copied it over using plycad and some cardboard cad so it was close to symmetrical. Then I bent a strip of aluminum roughly to the shape of the ply and held it in place with tape to see how it would look. I think it will look much better if I can shape some panel streel up to that shape and weld it on.

My plan is. I copied the shape over to a piece a timber and I will shape the panel steel on this and hopefully it will be close. Has to work as I don't have a plan B yet. We will see tomorrow.

I think the rear will sit a bit lower when everything settles after use so will work at this space for now.

 

[Tiger Tamer]

So I totally fooked up the wooden buck as I needed the opposite shape, so I made up a new one the right way around.

I had to make up the arch in two pieces as I didn't have a piece of panel steel big enough to do it in one.

After shaping the panel to the shape of the buck I needed to put some curvature into it in two directions which I did by using an old pair of welding gloves as a cushion and hammering down on the inside of the panel which seems to have worked out ok. Then tack welded it in trimming new to old and old to new.

[Tiger Tamer]

Once happy with the overall shape I welded it in making a few adjustments to the amount it flared out along the way. I also made up a cardboard pattern to correct the door shape so I could see the complete shape of the flare.  I am much happier with the shape of the arch now and I will try and smooth of the rear half of the flare with a hammer and dolly but it will need some filler anyway so no need to be too fussy. Once painted all the same I think it will look quite good.

[Tiger Tamer]

I did a small correction to the shape of the arch to the top new piece I welded in as it wasn't quite right. 

The bottom of the guard has been replaced before and looks as though they used some quite thin panel steel over the top of the old rusty original steel. So that's rusted out now and so has the inner panel so it will need replacing as well. The whole rear of the car needs work at some stage. It seems as it may have been parked in a shed to small with it's arse hanging out for some time. Anyway, for now I have to finish the flare and finish the inner guard and need something solid to weld to. I needed more panel steel so I went into steel and tube and bought a sheet of 1mm cold rolled steel, so I shouldn't run out for a while.

[Tiger Tamer]

I spent about 6 hrs trying to make up the replacement panels for this repair today. I managed to get the inner panel welded in and a few other internal patches done.

The outer panel is a lot more difficult as it curves in three directions though not greatly. I have it getting near there, but it would be nice to have an English wheel I think. I only think it would be nice as I have never used one before. I will need to do the other side and the whole rear valance panel which is quite curvy and then there is the Cob to do as well.

[Tiger Tamer]

I made up another small piece for the bottom of the arch flare and tack welded it in place then spent a fair bit of time getting the curvature in the rear corner of the patch panel which has turned out ok. It's welded in now apart for some welds along the bottom to attach it to the inner panel. The panel will need some filler but bending a steel ruler around the panel shows I won't need to use too much.

I ended up ordering a planishing hammer. I seem to be able to bash so shape into a panel but it's not that easy to get it nice and smooth so from what I have seen a planishing hammer smooths the defects out. 

[Tiger Tamer]

After welding in the inner guard to the outer the panel above the flare got a bit out of shape and popped in and out so I heated the panel in different spots as I have seen done on u tube but never done myself before. I did get it to not pop in and out but it was still a bit out of shape. I did try and improve it with a hammer and dolly but it made little difference, so I used some filler once I had primed it. I had to use filler to smooth out the flare anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

So after spending a few hours filling and sanding and filling again I have it reasonably close to the correct shape.  I gave it a coat of epoxy primer to get the whole panel the same colour which helps to see the shape I have. I can now see where I needs to correct the shape and will also be able to add a skim to the bottom of the guard. Then go through the block fill sand process to get it perfect, I hope.

 

[Tiger Tamer]

Not perfect yet but getting much closer. Filled the bottom of the guard. Sanded the whole panel and found the low spots and filled and sanded them back. I also made the flare shape flow into the panel which removed the line I had before. Then shot another coat of epoxy primer at it. I will need to do it again but I think it will be quite close now then I will use the 1k primer on it.